Ok, its the same start as every other day went to bed late, got up late (10am). The sun was out and it was a glorious morning. However, we didn’t get on the road until about 2pm/1400 hours. We were joined by Diane’s sister Monique and we were off to the city of Albi, about 1/2 hour away from where we are.
In Albi we were joined by Diane’s other sister Carole and her husband Jens and her son Sean. What can I say about Albi except that it is gorgeous! Many cobblestone streets with cute shops at every doorway and all the children’s clothes looks like something out of a Haute Couture Magazine.
We briefly walked around the city to meerly get a taste of its greatness. Francois and I would have to come back “sans” children in order to spend more time visiting it. However, what we did see was spectacular. The Catholic Cathedral, Sainte-Cécile was enormous, the pictures don’t do it justice. Apparently, it is the largest brick building in the world! It took two centuries to construct and was built around 1282 to 1480. The outside looks like a fortress and the inside looks like a museum of art – very grand and very ornate.
The surrounding area was full of eye candy as well. We saw one of the oldest bridges around still in use. It was called the Old Bridge it was built in 1035 out of stone and reinforced with brick later on. Really great pictures of that one. We wandered around through the downtown passing the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum had some ice cream and then proceeded to Carole’s home.
While waiting for dinner, Monique graciously invited me for a driving lesson. Hurray – somebody not afraid to drive with me! Well, after a few moments practicing gear shifting with the engine off, she took me on the road. I could see from the corner of my eye, her hand was tightly gripping the emergency break. Anyway, aside from stalling in the middle of an intersection and having old, French people honk at me, it went rather well. I can now shift from neutral to 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear. Merci Monique!! I don’t think i’m ready for the highway yet.
For dinner we had Diane’s spaghetti and a wonderful salad and plenty of wine. Not a typical Easter dinner mind you but its what we wanted to eat.
Blog you tomorrow!
Joyeuses Paques!!! Wow, that church is insane-o….wayy bigger than good ol’ Holy Rosary….. It sounds like you guys are having an awesome time, and we miss you here! I’m totally taking pictures at dinner tonight at Auntie Fe’s to email to y’all, so we can all share what we did on Easter 😀 (Wow, that sounds incredibly cheesy….meh, I embrace the cheese).
Comment by Sarah — April 8, 2007 @ 4:43 pm
Excellent Easter trip! Those buildings look sooooooo familiar…
But… you’ll have to start working on that jet lag otherwise you’ll sleep through half of the trip (well, every half a day). 🙂
Comment by klaus — April 8, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
Marisa Ligerie! Great name, no doubt 🙂 I like your Berlin T-shirt Marissa!!! Today’s pictures are awesome. Read you tomorrow 🙂
Comment by off2europe2 — April 8, 2007 @ 9:11 pm
Sarah
according to Wikipedia “In 1208, the Pope and the French King joined forces to combat the Cathars, who’d developed their own version of Christianity (a dangerous heresy to the dominant Catholic faith). Repression was severe, and many were burnt at the stake throughout the region.”
Anyway, in the aftermath of this slaughter the current catholic church in Albi was built as a statement of the church’s power in the area…a sort of warning to other possible heretics wishing to form their own versions of Christianity.
Almost all of the churches that we’ve visited so far were built or rebuilt after the Albigensian Crusades of 1209 that led to the destruction of the original Cathar churches. There is some irony in all of this because now the Sainte Cécile cathedral in Albi seems almost as a memorial to the Cathars. Whenever someone speaks of this church it is often within the context of its creation surrounding the destruction of the Cathars.
Comment by admin — April 9, 2007 @ 1:16 am
Klaus,
you are right about the jet lag thing…and we’re frustrated by the fact that we haven’t sorted it out yet. Today was marginally better, 4 out of 5 of us were up by 9:15am but we still have a ways to go. Its much harder to adjust to the time change than I expected.
Comment by admin — April 9, 2007 @ 1:25 am
Yah, Marisa lingerie…too funny. But I didn’t go in. That Berlin t-shirt was from my brother when he went to FIFA world cup in Berlin, last summer I believe.
Comment by marissa — April 9, 2007 @ 1:52 am
Don’t feel special about the jet lag. We fight it every time we go over there.
Comment by klaus — April 9, 2007 @ 7:57 am